Press release as of yesterday… Bisbee’s tournaments this year will require circle hooks when fishing with natural bait.  Studies have shown for some time that circle hooks improve survival rates of released billfish – so the Billfish Report applauds decisions like this one that speak to conservation of billfish. For more information on this announcement, go to http://www.bisbees.com/Local/news/2010/articles/2010-005_circle-hooks.htm.

Right now’s prime time for world billfishing – though some fisheries definitely have their better times of year, mid-summer in the Northern Hemisphere is a good common denominator for finding billfish in most places. But this summer’s been unsual in that regard – here’s a look at where’s hot, and where’s not, right now in billfishing…and to tell the truth,…

Flamingo, CR – Day 4 with Mr. Trigger Sportfishing (www.flamingo-fishing.com) The bite was on today, but we could not get the hooks to stick. 0-2 on Black Marlin, 0-1 on Sails and 0-1 on Striped Marlin. In case you are wondering, that would have been a Grand Slam. The Blacks came up on a double header.

Congratulations to the Happy Hooker, the first repeat winner of the Blue Marlin World Cup.  Captained by Berno Niebuhr, the fish went 1,097 pounds and pretty much left the rest of the field in its wake.  Angler was Chris Brand. Our best information has the standings as follows: Happy Hooker (Cape Verde) – 1,097 pounds Hedonist (Canaries) – 600 pounds…

Some headlines with about five hours to go in the World Cup… – Very few fish brought to the scales today, with only four thus far being weighed.  All fish weighed have been caught in the East Atlantic – Canaries (600, Hedonist), Madeira (546, Audaz), Cape Verde (1097, Happy Hooker and 511, La Onda Emma). – Cape Verde picked a…

Blue Marlin World Cup – Pacific anglers woke up to a helluva challenge this morning. The Happy Hooker has taken control of 1st Place with a 1,097 Blue Marlin (5th Grander of the Year). If this holds, Happy Hooker would be the First Team to EVER win this tournament twice. Kona, HI boats have just put lines in with 41…

WORLD CUP NEWS Cape Verde Islands –  Capt. Berno Niebuhr is headed to the scales with an estimated 800 lbs. Blue Marlin Madeira – Audaz has been hooked up for over an hour. Bermuda – Bree released one just under 500 lbs.

Madeira – We absolutely love Madeira for a lot of reasons, but the number one reason is Large Blue Marlin. There have been at least two 900+ blues caught over the last three days. Peter Bristow on the Katherine B caught one they called 950+ and then the below fish caught on the “Cabo” with Capt. Joe Bennie that they…